‘Watch what kids eat’

The Department of Education has called on parents to monitor what their children eat following the recent cases of food poisoning reported nationwide.

Education Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali assured the public in a recent interview that school canteens “remained safe.”

While the contaminated food had not come from school canteens, Umali said the DepEd was nevertheless concerned because many students were affected by the incidents, which ironically coincided with the celebration of

Nutrition Month.

“For us, our schools should be 100-percent safe,” he told the Inquirer. “We’re concerned because a lot of students were affected, but to say it’s widespread is not true.”

Nutritionist-dietitian Mei-Ling Duhig of the DepEd’s Health and Nutrition Center said street food was not recommended for consumption since it cannot be ascertained how it is prepared.

Umali said that in light of the recent incidents, it is still best for parents to keep their communication lines open with their children, by asking them what they ate and where they bought it.–Jovic Yee